Title: Limiter
A sequel to Strange Allergy
Author: Kyoko_godaikun aka sentaikat
Pairing: Akame, Junda
Genre: A/U Angst
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I do not own Kat-Tun. Wish I did. But I do own the concepts of the
Gotsu Empire and the Miyagi Empire.
Note: This takes place in the far future.
Note 2: this is simply a love story with no war.
Note 3: This story is weird.

Summary: Maru is fighting very hard to keep his sanity. But has his
efforts to save his mind, actually make him loose it?

Note: Limiters is a concept I borrowed from Terry Nations' Blake's Seven

Maru had stopped trying to think. It seemed like long ago when he had
been allowed to think. But thinking only brought back the memories. The screams
of pain haunted his mind. There was something in his mind that made his brain
hurt. But always, the pain was there.

He was in a hospital. He wasn't sure what kind of hospital. He didnít'
ask, asking meant that he would have to think. Instead, he just sat there.
Almost like a doll. Staff would move him around, dress him, and clean him.
Sometimes feed him. Doctors came, talking to him. Hooking him up to yet another
scanner. Then the doctors would go, and leave him alone.

So Maru sat in a chair. He was outside. The staff had brought him outside.
To get some sun. He was looking pasty again. The rays of the planets two suns
would make him look tan again. Look healthy.

"Donít' think, don't think." he told himself over and over.

Sometimes his brothers came to visit. Jin hadn't visited for days. It was
for the best. Jin made him laugh. Every time he laughed, he thought, the
flashbacks came.

"Hi Maru," His brother Junno came into view.

Maru looked at him, but didn't talk.

"How are you doing?" Junno asked.

"Don't think, don't think." he told himself. But the look on
Junno's face was so hopeful that Maru had to say something. "I am
fine."

"I'm in love." Junno told him. "Is it all right for me to
be in love?"

"Yes, of course."

"I sometimes get so sick when I'm with him." Junno told him.
"But love makes you that way, I guess."

"Who do you love?"

"Prince Ueda," The look on Junno's face was so wonderful. His
brother, his little brother had finally found happiness.

Suddenly the flash back came. No matter what Maru did, he couldn't stop
it once it had started.

He was in a cell on Gotsu Prime. He could remember Shikayko gloating
about the limiter she had placed in his mind. "Your limiter will be
programmed to always remember what we're going to do to Prince Uchi."

The scene shifted, to an interrogation room. Shikayko was leading the
interrogation herself. She loved watching men tortured. It turned her on. He
had spent time in Shikayko harem. The way that she treated her husbands was
inhumane. They were like toys to her. Toys that had to be punished constantly.

Maru was strapped to one interrogation table. His new limiter still hurt
his mind. Uchi, his beautiful lover was on the other. Both tables were tilted
in a way that they could see the other prisoner.

Don't make him watch," Uchi had begged. "It's my fault, all my
fault. Don't force him to watch."

"It might be your fault," Shikayko gloated. "But Maru will
watch. Not only that, when this is over. He will have the memories of your
death implanted in his mind."

"How could you do that to him? He's your brother!"

"All Maru is a traitor!" Shikayko snapped. "When this is
finished, he will be insane. A penalty better then death!"

Shikayko snapped. The torture machine was turned on. Then the sound that
Maru would never get out of his mind began. The inhuman scream of Uchi as he
was being tortured.

Once the flashback was over, Maru closed his mind off. Even to the point
that he couldn't understand what Junno's voice said. He had learned to shut his
mind off as a mediation skill. It had come in handy every time the three
brothers were arrested. Now Maru hoped it saved his sanity.

"Don't think," He reminded himself. "It's better this way."

Maru knew that Junno would return to visit him. Junno still was so
hopeful. Junno had been Maru's favorite brother. Before, before all this
happened. Before the limiter was placed in Maru's mind and made him insane.
When the three brothers were young and innocent, and hadnít' been corrupted in
the ways of the universe.

**********************

Ueda and Junno had gone on a double date with Kame and Jin. But
everything had gone terribly wrong. Jin had collapsed during the game. His face
flushed red, his skin burning to the touch. Jin had been rushed to emergency
surgery. It was found that he had a limiter implant.

Limiter, the word terrified Junno. Limiters were illegal, against all
galactic conventions. They were able to limit the behavior of a person. It had
been designed for criminals, but at one time had been given to entire planets
populations as mind control. It had been a horrible time in history, when the
second Earth Federation had implemented their limiter program. When the Earth
Federation had finally been overthrown, the use of the limiter had been made
illegal. Never again, was the vow of the people of the galaxy.

A limiter had been place inside the brain of his brother Jin. The doctors
wanted to check Junno to see if he had one too. Junno and Ueda sat in the
Doctor's office.

"I need to wait for my brother to wake up." Junno told Mr.
Morita, the one who had done the surgery on Jin.

"He's been put in a drug induced coma that will last three
day." Dr. Morita told him. "You have enough time to be checked before
he wakes up."

Ueda looked at Junno. "If you have one of those things in you, you
have to get it out."

"My brother tells me that you where convicted of crimes in the Gotsu
Empire." Morita said.

"No one told me." Junno said, the thoughts of his brother
blocking out almost everything else.

"Anyway, about these crimes, what were they?" Morita asked.

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Since my father is Gotsu, I know that serious criminals are treated
harshly by the empire."

"Don't worry Prince Junno, no one will tell." Ueda told him.

"I was convicted of being homosexual several times." Junno
admitted. "The last time I was arrested was for treason."

"Treason?" Ueda gasped. "What did you do?"

"It was Maru who committed the crime." Junno tried to explain.
"He fell in love with one of my mother's husbands. Unfortunately Prince
Uchi loved him too."

"But why were you arrested?"

"Unit members share the same punishment." Junno told him.
"Just as Prince Uchi's unit members were tortured to death for something
Prince Uchi did."

"The Gotsu Empire probably wanted to make sure that the three of you
never committed Treason again." Morita guessed. "So they had a
limiter implanted in all three of you."

*******************

Junno was run through a series of tests. It was found he had a limiter.
There was a slight risk that the limiter surgery might kill him. So Junno asked
if he could visit Maru before the surgery.

He went to the hospital that Maru stayed at. He went every day. He had a
feeling that somewhere inside the shell of a man was the real Maru. When they
were arrested for the first time, Maru had learned a meditation technique to
turn off the pain. Junno wondered if perhaps Maru had turned his brain off and
forgotten how to turn it back on.

He found Maru sitting by a window, the chair moved so he could look out.

Junno took Maru's hand. His brother was having a flashback, and there
wasn't anything Junno could do to help. All this was Shikayko's fault. The only
sibling of Junno's that resembled him. If he ever saw Shikayko again, he would
make her pay for what she did to Maru.

************************

"Don't think," Maru told himself over and over. It was for the
best he reminded himself. "Donít' think about Junno. He'll be all
right."

Maru was very concerned about his brother. He knew there was more to
Junno's story then just a simple surgery. But there was nothing he could do. No
one he could ask. Instead he had to will himself not to think. It was harder
this time, much harder. He kept seeing in his mind's eye. Junno on a medical
bed, soon after the limiter had been planted in his mind. Junno looked so
innocent, almost like he had when they were children. Junno and Jin didn't know
they had limiters, they had been told it was a translation device. Maru knew,
but couldn't tell them. His limiter preventing him.

"Donít' think," he repeated. But he thought, of the little
brother. The one that always made Maru smile. The one that had such a bright
future, if only he had been born a girl. Instead, he was destined to be given
to a woman as a political marriage. It wasn't fair.

The Empress of Gotsu's decisions about how her youngest sons lived their
lives wasn't also fair to Jin. He had been given a test when he was only three.
It came back 'retarded." After that, Jin had been kept from learning. He
because the test said he was retarded, it had been decided that he couldnít
learn anything. The training he received was in bedroom techniques. The only
reason Jin knew how to read and write was because Maru had taught him. Jin had
never been allowed to use the teaching machines

Then the flashbacks came. These more severe then before. Reminding him
again and again of his failures. How love only brought pain.

Finally, the flashbacks ended. Maru was finally able to close down his
mind. To go back to the refuge of not being able to think.

"Hello Prince Maru." It was Koki. Once, his friend had told him
he loved him. Maru couldn't remember how long ago that was. When he tried not
to think, days lasted an eternity.

The news of his brother's being in the hospital made Maru look at Koki.
"My brothers?"

"The doctors found they had limiters placed in their brains."
Koki told him. "Jin's malfunctioned."

"Is he all right?" it was hard for Maru to find the words.

"He's recovering." Koki paused. "Do you have a
limiter?"

Maru couldn't answer. The limiter prevented him. It took all his strength
to nod his head.

He could feel Koki's hands on the wheel chair, pushing him inside. Koki
was going fast, too fast. Koki always went to fast. That was why Maru loved
him. Koki was strong, Koki was brave. Koki was everything in a man that Maru
loved. It was so easy to love Koki.

Maru had to stop thinking again. He couldn't love Koki. Not after what
happened to Uchi. Maru knew that if he loved someone, that person would die. He
didn't want Koki to die. He wanted Koki to hold him again, like their one time
together. To hold him and make the pain go away. To love Maru as much as Maru
loved him.

"Don't think!" he caught himself this time. "He told you
he loved you long ago. He doesn't love you." Maru told himself.
"Don't think, don't think."

He could hear Koki yelling for Dr. Morita. Maru could remember that Dr.
Morita was Koki's older brother. Koki's voice sounded so concerned. Maru
couldn't understand what Koki was saying, but he heard the emotion on his
voice.

Maru knew that they where talking about him. He tried to blank his mind. Trying
not to think, it hurt to think when he was around Koki. He always felt sick
when he thought of his friend. His heart beating so quickly, his stomach
feeling like he would throw up. That's what the limiter did when he felt love.

"Can't love, can't love." Maru said. "Can't think, don't
think."

"Prince Maru, we need to give you a scan," Dr. Morita told him.
"We need to see if what we thought was a translator is really a
limiter."

Maru couldn't answer; he had shut down his brain. Instead, he felt hands on
his wheelchair. Then lips so very gentle touched his.

"We'll get you well." Koki promised. "Then we'll be
together. I never stopped loving you."

***********************

Jin had been the first one released from the hospital. He went to Maru's
side. When he woke, he found that both his brothers were in the hospital. Junno
had Prince Ueda waiting with him. The prince had ordered that he be left alone
with Junno. He would be the one caring for Junno, no one else. .

So Jin stayed with Maru. The big brother who had always cared for him.
Who had often broken the rules to make sure his brothers were cared for right.
Maru had been the one that taught Jin the pleasures of reading. How a story
could take Jin to another world.

Jin read to Maru. His brother had always loved hearing Jin read. He had
been able to buy a copy of the fairy tale book Jin had loved as a child. He
read the stories to Maru. Over and over he read the same stories. He knew Maru
wouldn't mind. It was helping Jin practice reading, and Jin needed that
practice.

Jin used to be jealous of the teaching machines. His brothers were
allowed to use them, and to learn. Jin had wanted to learn. But he hadn't been
allowed to. The experts had said that Jin couldn't learn. That he was retarded.
His learning would never be above a third grade level, so why even bother
teaching him?

Jin could still remember the day that Maru brought him a flimsy. Jin was
only six when Maru began to teach him letters and numbers. Then Maru taught him
words. Jin could never get his mind around kanji, but he learned how to read
and write. Maru printed flimsy books for Jin. Jin treasured the books, reading
them over and over until he had each memorized. Then Maru would make more for
him, sometimes even writing him new stories.

Jin was ten when they had been caught. Maru had been punished. He was
forbidden to make flimsies. The books that Jin treasured had been confiscated
and destroyed.

Jin was the stupid one. The one that was only one step above a pleasures
slave. Pleasure slaves didn't need to know how to read.

"Maru," Jin said after he read the same book to Maru for the
tenth time. "I've been using the teaching machines since you've been in
the hospital. I'm on them even longer then Junno." He explained.
"They were wrong on Gotsu, I can learn."

Kame came into the room, he looked at Maru. "How's he doing?"

"I've been telling him how I'm learning." Jin told his boy
friend. They weren't lovers, not yet, that would wait.

"Your brother's very smart," Kame told the unconscious Maru.
"Did he tell you that they tested his intelligence after he had his
limiter removed?"

"No, I haven't told him." Jin said. "Why should I? I'm
retarded."

"Jin, you're a genius," Kame said. "You have a very high
IQ."

"The tests on Gotsu said I could never get above a third grade level
ever."

"What grade level are you on now in your studies?"

"I'll be graduating from high school next week," Jin told him.

"Jin, that usually takes most children twelve years to
complete." Kame told him. "It's taken you almost six months. If that
isn't being smart, I don't know what is."

**************************

Junno woke; he was in a hospital bed. He had expected to be alone when he
woke; both his brothers were in the hospital. His lover couldnít be with him.
That was the side effect of being in love with the crown Prince. Ueda was
always busy at work.

Ueda was working on paperwork at the small desk against one wall. His
lover had brought his work along with him.

He no longer felt slightly sick when he thought of Ueda. Instead, all he
thought was happiness.

"Your highness," Junno finally said.

Ueda stopped what he was doing and went to Junno. "How are you
feeling?"

"Better," Junno looked around. "How are my brothers?"

"Jin is all ready out of the hospital. I'm supposed to contact him
when you wake." Ueda explained.

"What about Maru?"

"He has to have a week of enforced sleep." Ueda explained.
"His limiter was placed more deeply in his mind then yours was."

"So he'll be better soon." It wasn't a guess, it was a hope.
All he wanted was his brother to get well. To be how he used to be.

"I hope so." Ueda took his hand. "I want to talk to you
about something, it's very important to me."

"What?"

"I've been thinking it's about time I get married." Ueda said
softly.

"Oh I see," Junno looked away from Ueda.

"I love you," Ueda told him. "I would be honored if you
would be my husband."

"We can't," Junno said softly.

"Why can't we?" Ueda asked. "Do you love me?"

"I love you more then my life," He said. "Have you talked
to the Empress about this?"

"Of course I have!" Ueda told him. "She thinks you would
be a great son in law."

"The Empress doesn't know about my crimes, does she?" Junno
countered. "How could she agree to allow you to marry a criminal?"

"No, I haven't told her." He admitted. "When the time is
right, I will tell her."

"This isn't a good time for us to get married." Junno said
softly. "Perhaps later, when Maru is well, we might think of it."

"We will stay together, won't we?" Ueda asked.

"Of course," Junno smiled sadly. "You'll always be in my
heart."

"I need to get back to the castle." Ueda kissed him. "I'll
see you later today."

"Later," Junno watched Ueda leave. As soon as Ueda was out of
sight, Junno turned his head and began to cry.

Junno had known the entire time that he had been lovers with Ueda that
someday their relationship would end. Junno wasn't of the same social standing
as Ueda. His lover was Crown Prince. Someday he would be emperor. When Ueda
decided to get married, Junno knew that it couldn't be him. The public wouldn't
stand the fact that a convicted criminal, a concubine would be Ueda's husband.
He would have to be happy just being Ueda's lover.

*******************************

Maru woke. The pain in his head was gone. The dream, he had dreamed. It
was a good dream. The dream is the thing that makes Maru realize that he is
better. He didnt' dream when he had his limiter. Just flashback after
flashback.

Junno, dear sweet Junno was sitting beside the bed. He was humming the
song they used to sing as children. It seemed like the most natural thing on
earth to sing along.

Junno could hear Koki talking to Ueda very fast, excited. Then ran back
into the main room. "He'll talk to you now." With that, Koki left.

"Where did he go?" Junno asked as he went into the office.

"Koki's gone to the hospital. Seems he wants to see Prince
Maru." Ueda looked up from his work. "You needed to speak to
me."

"My brother's better," Junno told him.

"That's nice." Ueda looked back down to his work.

"I see, I guess your question no longer stands. I was going to tell
you yes." Junno gave a short bow. "Excuse me your highness." he
went towards the door his heart breaking.

Junno barely got to the door, when Ueda ordered. "Wait." Junno
turned to Ueda. His friend went to him. "Do you really mean yes?"

"If we can go to the Empress, and explain my convictions."
Junno said. "If she gives her permission, then yes, I will marry you."

"Let's go right now," Ueda grabbed his hand and pulled him to
the next office.

Junno followed Ueda faster then he would like. Ueda burst into the
Empresses office.

The Empress looked up to him. "Did he agree?"

"Mother we have a small problem," Ueda said. "Junno,
please explain."

"Your Majesty." Junno said. "I would be honored to marry
Prince Ueda, but there are some things about me that might make you change your
mind."

"What kind of things?" The Empress asked.

"The first thing is that I am co-husbands with my brothers."
Junno said. "While this doesn't prevent me from getting married, the
public might not like what they might consider a bigamist as Prince Ueda's
husband."

"I see no problem with your co-husband arrangement." The
Empress told him. "My brother in law is a member of a unit."

"That's not the bad part," Junno said. "I am a convicted
criminal."

"What is the crimes you where convicted of?"

"I have been convicted of homosexuality many times." Junno
paused. "I am also convicted of treason."

"What exactly did you do as treason?"

"My brother Prince Maru fell in love with one of my mother's
husbands." Junno confessed. "On Gotsu, that is considered
treason."

"So basically Mother, Prince Junno's been convicted of crimes that
aren't illegal in the Miyagi Empire." Ueda told her. "Can we still
have permission to marry?"

"Yes, you can." The Empress held up one hand. "I think the
two of you need to have an engagement of at least six months. As your marriage
will be a state marriage."

"Thank you," Ueda bowed. Junno also bowed.

**************************

"Can you remember any good memories of Prince Uchi?" Dr. Morita
asked. It was about an hour after Junno had left.

"We used to play Sims together," Maru said. "Jin had this
way of seducing the computers. He would make it so we might be in a war game,
but where we were was peaceful. Uchi and I spent afternoons together. It was
almost as if he didn't belong to my mother. We were free in the Sims.
Sometimes, I didn't want them to end."

"How long were the two of you together?"

"It was only a year." Maru told him. "But that year was
wonderful, full of memories I never want to forget."

"When I was scanning your brain the last time, I found that you have
memories of someone implanted in your mind." Morita told him. "Do you
know who they belong to?

"As part of my punishment, I was given a copy of Uchi's memories,
his soul on the day he died." Morita said.

Do you want us to remove them?" Morita asked. "It would be
fairly simple to have them removed."

"If I could, I would like to keep them." Maru said. "This
might sound strange, but it feels like Uchi's alive within me."

"You mean soul sharing?"

Morita was surprised that Morita had heard of the belief of the Gotsu
people. "Yes, soul sharing. This might sound crazy, but I feel as if he
and I share the same soul. If you remove him from my mind, it would kill him
again."

Suddenly he felt as if Uchi was sleeping in his mind. Maru opened his
eyes. Suddenly everything seemed clearer to him.

**************************

Finally Dr. Morita left. Maru expected one of his brothers to come in the
door, but instead, Koki was the next visitor.

"How are you doing, your highness?" Koki stood several meters
away from the bed. Koki looked as if he had been glued to one spot on the
floor.

"Since when did you call me your highness?" Maru couldn't help
but smile at the terrified Koki. "You can move closer to me, I'm not
contagious." Still, Koki didn't move. "It must be strange for you to
visit me, and me talk back,"

"I mean about my visits?" Koki's voice was soft. He moved close
to Maru. "You really want me to send you a bill?"

The look in Koki's eyes made Maru stop playing. "Of course I don't
want a bill from you."

"But you said...."

"I loved your visits." Maru told him. "Everyday, I looked
forwards to you coming. To the feel of your lips on mine. I couldn't talk back
to you. I had flashbacks when I thought. But your visits were the thing that
made my existence worth while."

"Even though you morn for Prince Uchi?" there was trepidation
in Koki's eyes.

"I love Uchi; I think I'll always love him." Maru said.
Suddenly Koki looked heartbroken. Quickly Maru said. ďI love you too. I didnt'
think I could love again, until I met you. You cared for me; every day your
visits showed me that you loved me. You didn't have to tell me, I just knew.
But I wonder has too much time passed for us to be together?"